Manhattan Beach house, built for the modern family

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Christina House / For The Times

Tanner and Kyle Chen play a video game while their mom, Tiffany, makes dinner. The kitchen sink is the command and control center, with sightlines to wherever the kids are playing — family room or backyard.

Tanner and Kyle Chen play a video game while their mom, Tiffany, makes dinner. The kitchen sink is the command and control center, with sightlines to wherever the kids are playing — family room or backyard. (Christina House / For The Times)

Andy and Tiffany Chen in the kitchen, where bamboo cabinets, a concrete floor, Cambria quartz countertops and a white glass backsplash lend a streamlined look. Walker chose low-iron glass for the backsplash because it doesn't have a blue tint.

Andy and Tiffany Chen in the kitchen, where bamboo cabinets, a concrete floor, Cambria quartz countertops and a white glass backsplash lend a streamlined look. Walker chose low-iron glass for the backsplash because it doesn't have a blue tint. (Christina House / For The Times)

Sunlight streams into the kitchen from several windows. Noah Walker loaded storage into the house, including under the countertop facing the family room. "There's not a lot of wasted space in this house," the designer said.

Sunlight streams into the kitchen from several windows. Noah Walker loaded storage into the house, including under the countertop facing the family room. "There's not a lot of wasted space in this house," the designer said. (Christina House / For The Times)

In the den adjacent to the dining area, the white panel between bookshelves is actually a custom Murphy bed that can flip down and turn the space into a guest room for grandparents. Plenty of guests can gather around the Ligne Roset dining table, which expands to seat up to 12.

In the den adjacent to the dining area, the white panel between bookshelves is actually a custom Murphy bed that can flip down and turn the space into a guest room for grandparents. Plenty of guests can gather around the Ligne Roset dining table, which expands to seat up to 12. (Christina House / For The Times)

Designer and builder Noah Walker recently created a Manhattan Beach home for a family of four that is smartly streamlined but still meets their practical needs. Among the features: a clever Murphy bed that turns a den into guest quarters for grandparents.